EDM: Liushenyu mining disaster and workers’ safety

Liushenyu mining disaster and workers’ safety

Tabled by Ian Lavery (Labour) 36 signatures

The motion

That this House expresses its deep sorrow at the deaths of at least 82 workers in the Liushenyu coal mine explosion in Shanxi province on 23 May 2026; notes with alarm evidence of concealed tunnels, falsified drawings, unregistered labour, and the deliberate removal of life saving safety systems, all pointing to systemic malpractice driven by profit at the expense of human life; condemns the exploitation of workers denied basic protections, accountability and visibility, and recognises that the absence of trackers and accurate records directly worsened the loss of life and hindered rescue efforts; draws stark parallels with the United Kingdom’s own history of mining tragedies where generations of tightly bound communities endured devastating loss due to unsafe practices and weak oversight; pays tribute to the trade union movement whose tireless campaigning in the UK secured hard won rights, stronger regulation and a safety-first culture; warns that the same patterns of deregulation, concealment and corporate negligence seen in this disaster are precisely those unions fought to eradicate; calls on the Government to champion international labour standards and stand shoulder to shoulder with trade unions globally in demanding transparency, enforcement and justice for workers; and urges that the lessons etched into Britain’s mining communities, paid for in countless lives, must never be forgotten and must guide a renewed global commitment to protect every worker, everywhere.

Signatories (36)